


A Much Simpler Fate

by WitchingWilds



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Ending, Gen, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 19:05:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13507866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchingWilds/pseuds/WitchingWilds
Summary: This week's Facebook challenge was to write an alternate ending to First Enchanter Orsino's story from Dragon Age 2. Enjoy!





	A Much Simpler Fate

 The cave in which my love and I reside is cold and damp. Even with the makeshift shelter we'd built around it. Right now, it's our only option. The Seekers and Templars guard the ships bound for Starkhaven. There will be no sanctuary in his castle. At least not yet. 

Not all is bad, however. Sebastian looks even sexier in the dim light of our fire and Varric's manuscript has kept us entertained. I laugh now at the latest chapter.  _Tales of the Champion_  is ninety percent utter bullshit, but the chapter regarding First Enchanter Orsino? The monster Varric made him out to be? While accurate in symbolism, is far from the truth of what happened that night. There might have eventually been a blood magicked monster, but it never came to that. Thankfully. Even if my dearest friend had every faith that I would have prevailed against it. 

 **"What is it now, love? A grand heroic? An epic failure?"** , Sebastian asks as he pokes at the fire. An amused smile crinkling the corners of his bright blue eyes. I chuckle again and sit the manuscript aside. Moving over on the log so that he can join me.  **"I think it's heroic on our part"** , I reply as I link my arm in his and lay my head upon his shoulder.  **"I know I asked Varric to keep Orsino's fate from the Seekers, but this? He's pulled out all the dramatics".**

Seb is quiet for a moment as we watch the flames dance. It's been a couple of months now since the Chantry explosion and I can tell he still mourns. Despite having left the life of a Brother, Sebastian is still very much an Andrastian and had deeply cared for Elthina. That night had almost broken us.  **"You never did tell me what truly happened to him, Aadya. I can believe that it was likely a good cause, but I'm not exactly fond of being left in the dark".**

He looks at me expectantly and I raise an eyebrow.   **"Well, I didn't do it, if that's what you're getting at. I would have though. If I would have known about my mother sooner",** I assure him. Silence envelopes us for a moment as we struggle to push our individual grief aside.  **"Fenris killed him".**

 

> Somehow Hawke had convinced him that siding with the mages was the right thing to do. Somehow she still managed to pull at his heart despite having clearly moved on herself. After three years, it was expected. Besides, Sebastian was a good man. He and Hawke balanced one another out quite well, but Fenris would never stop loving her. Not truly. 
> 
> At first he had refused her plea. Despite the Templars drastic measures, he had truly believed he was on the right side. Mages were unpredictable and dangerous.  Surely, after Anders, Hawke could see that. Yet, she didn't wish to deliver the same fate to the rest of the mages as she had done her former ally.  **"Not all are guilty!",** she had cried out to him as he turned to leave with Meredith.  **"You'll be slaying innocent people!"**
> 
> Fenris hadn't believed her until he watched the Templars first hand. Not every mage confronted turned to blood magic, but all were struck down. Even the ones who had surrendered. Pleading on their knees for their lives. Fenris should have relished in so much magical blood being spilled, but instead he was left feeling appalled. 
> 
> The Gallows loomed before them ominous as their boats reached its docks. He and the remaining Templars dispersed. Following Enchanter Orsino and his mages through the front gate. Fires engulfed what had once been merchant stands and bodies from both sides lay throughout. As still as stone. 
> 
> **"Champion! You live!"** , Orsino called out and relief washed over Fenris. Despite the elf was trying to rally she and her friends behind his cause. His tone changed once he spotted Meredith advancing toward them however. He no longer spoke of victory, but begged her to call off the Right of Annulment. Even offering to turn himself over for imprisonment. Of course, the Knight-Commander refused him. 
> 
> **"You do realize that this is a fight you cannot hope to win?"** , Fenris looked to Hawke, hoping to change her mind. Though it was she who changed his.  **"I thought freedom from slavery met something to you?"** , she countered and he sighed. He could still see those mages on their knees. Cowering before the Templars as they died. They, surpringly, were not the magisters in this scenario. The Templars were. Hawke was right.  **"yes"** , he admitted and walked to her side. " **I will stand with my friend".**
> 
> The Knight-Commander miraculously gave the mages time to prepare for the final assault and left to gather her own remaining forces. Hawke busied herself by cleaning off her daggers whilst the others prepared their own weapons and potions. If there was a speech, Fenris never heard it. 
> 
> Orsino had snaked off and after only a moment's pause, Fenris followed. While he had agreed to help stop the Templars, he wasn't entirely convinced that the First Enchanter was on their side. In fact, it turned out that Orsino had had a side all of his own. 
> 
> There were only a few other mages with him, but none seemed quite as confident as he.  **"But....First Enchanter. The champion has been trying to help us. She understands our plight. Her sister and father-",** Orsino cut her off.  **"Are dead. We cannot be certain of her alliance. Not when one friend has been the cause of all this with his...explosion and the other started on the templars' side. If that's the company she keeps, then there can be no guarantee of her loyalties. We must finish them all off. Including Aadya Hawke and her gang of misfits"**.
> 
> They moved swiftly through the Gallows and into the Cirlcle's living corridors. It was clear he had known of several secret passages and Fenris followed him through every last one.  _We'll see about that,_ he thought to himself as they moved. Determined not to let the mage out of his sight. 
> 
> The sounds of battle could be heard all around them, but were muffled by both distance and walls. They were met by no opposition. 
> 
> **"But we're outnumbered, First Enchanter. Whatever can we do?"**
> 
> **"Whatever it takes"**
> 
> **"Surely you don't mean-"**
> 
> **"Yes. Blood magic".**
> 
> Fenris clenched his fists, but maintained composure as he trailed behind them. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Which came sooner rather than later. 
> 
> The mages slowed their steps. Having obviously reached their destination. A large open space where bodies already littered the floor. It might have once been used for templar or mage training but was now Orsino's grounds for a final stand. 
> 
> Without a blink of the eye or a second thought, The First Enchanter grabbed one of his followers from behind and slit the Mage's throat. The other two cried out in alarm as they watched their companion bleed out in front of them and their supposed leader advancing upon them like a hungry animal. A red aura illuminating his body. 
> 
> There was a flash of blue, however and he stopped short. An armored hand emerging from where his heart should have been. Orsino looked from his chest to his mages in disbelief before falling over. Dead before his body even touched the hard stone ground. The other two looked up and found Hawke's strange elf friend standing in Orsino's place. The blue light fading from his markings.  **"Go",** he told them and they scattered. 
> 
> **"Fenris?"**
> 
> He knew that voice anywhere. With a sigh, Fenris turned to find Hawke, Varric, Merrill and Aveline entering from the south. They stared in disbelief at the bodies laying at their friend's feet and he shrugged.  **"Blood magic".**

I hadn't believed Fenris at first. Not truly. It wouldn't have been too far fetched had he decided to kill the First Enchanter just for the hell of it. Not with his disdain for magic, but once we heard about The Seekers heading to Kirkwall I knew I had to protect him. Had they known about Orsino's seemingly unprovoked murder, they'd have taken Fenris in. The Enchanter was killed from behind, after all. With his unusual talents they'd have used any excuse to take my friend. A magical non mage would have been the perfect prize. 

 **"I couldn't let them take him. Any of you, really. This whole story Varric has spun protects us all".** I don't mention how I intentionally kept the truth about Orsino from Sebastian because I feared he might assume I still had feelings for the elf. Then I might have to admit aloud that he could be right. Regardless of our love.

I don't have to say anything more, though. Sebastian kisses the top of my head reassuringly and I can't stop the smile. The past no longer matters. All that remains is our future as Prince and Princess of Starkhaven.  **"No wonder Varric didn't put that in his book. Quite dull compared to a monster crafted from blood magic".** I laugh at his words, cuddling closer. 


End file.
